Locomotive boiler



Aug. 21, 1928.

C. G. HAWLEY LOCOMOTIVE BOILER Filed March 25 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet l Aug.21, 1928.

C. G. HAWLEY LOCOMOTIVE BOILER Aug. 21, 1928.

C. G. HAWLEY LOCOMOTIVE BOILER Filed March 25 1920 O O ooooocooou o o oO oooo o o o.oooom ooo Aug. 21, 1928.

C. G. HAWLEY LOCOMOTIVE BOILER Filed March 25 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 fadear/0% Aug. 21, 1928. 1,681,405

c. G. HAWLEY' LOCOMOTIVE BOILER Filed March '25 1920 5 h g' 5 Z7106 in?Patented Aug. 21,1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES GILBERT HAWLEY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO LOCOMOTIVEFIRE- BOX COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARELOCOMOTIVE BOILER.

Application filed March 25. 1920/ Serial No. 868,691.

My invention relatesto improvements in locomotive boilers havinginternal fireboxes and equipped with water elements that assist insteaming and circulating the boiler Water; and in particular, theinvention relates to improvements in the locomotive boilers whichcontain'the thermic siphons, so called, originated by John L. Nicholson,of Chicago, Illinois.

The thermic siphon, as generally constructed by him, comprises astay-bolted water-wall of generally inverted-triangular shape in sideelevation; arranged longitudinally in the firebox of the locomotive,with its top opening through the crown sheet thereof, and at its lowerend presenting an intake neck which opens through the lower part of theflue sheet or throat sheet of the firebox. Such Nicholson siphons, bythermal action, pump a. great volume of water from the lower part of theboiler and deliver the water and steam into the space above the crownsheet; with many attendant advantages.

Similarly, a group of ordinary arch tubes, opening out of the throatsheet of the firebox and extending thence into or commumcat-ing with thespace atthe top of the boiler, operate to take a large volume of waterfrom the throat or front water leg of a locomotive boiler.

I have discovered that, in both cases, the forcible exhausting of waterfrom the front leg or throat of the boiler tends to interrupt,complicate and disturb the normal flow or currents of water, neededto'supply the side and back water legs of the boiler. This disturbancehas little observable effect in a boiler that has a generously largethroat portion, in free communication with the barrel of the boiler; butin many cases, the interruption or diversion of the currents that shouldnormally flow td'the sides and back of the boiler along the mud-ring ofthe firebox and thence upwardly, results in the' cracking of fireboxsheets and the loosening ,of many staybolts. The incidental effects arean increased costof boiler maintenance and the interruption of service.

Such cases are sufliciently common to make the problem of retaining thenormal circulation a serious one; and as. apparentfrom the history ofvarious circulating systems, a problem that has been difficult ofsolution.

I have found the solution, in a system and practicable constructionwhereby the demand of the water circulating elements is supplied from apoint in the boiler barrel so far removed from the firebox as to leaveundisturbed the normal and adequate fiowof water to the water legs;making the operation of the circulating elements separate from andindependent of those portions of the front water leg through which theother water spaces are supplied.

Doubtless my invention Will be understood from this brief statement, butI shall set it forth in greater detail, along with a description of thebest ways of embodying the invention in a locomotive boiler.

Proceeding to another phase of the invent1on:-A full length longitudinalcirculation of the water in a locomotive boileris essent al to theeconomical maintenance thereof. \Vhile the circulating devices abovementioned tend to hasten the longitudinal circulation of the water inthe boiler, I find that their operation so strongly localizes thecirculation as to result in an eddying stagnation of the water in theforward end of the boiler, preventing the development of its fullefiiciency.

Hence, my invention has for its further obect the provision of meansthat will enforce the longitudinal circulation of the water, to anyextent desired. I accomplish this through the extension and agency ofthe same means that I employ for separating the operation of the mainparts of the firebox from the important, but relatively minor, operationof the water circulating elements.

As well known, the operation of a locomotive boiler is frequentlyinterfered with by the leaking of the flue sheet and flues; broughtabout by differences of expansion and contraction in the upper and lowerparts of the boiler. My invention corrects this fault by diverting theintermittently supplied cold feed-water from the flue sheet, andproviding a path or channel through which all, or the greater part, ofthe feed-water is conducted directly to the water circulating .ele-'ment or elements there to be heated, and thus conditioned for receptionin the main body of boiler water; whereby the lower flues and flue sheetare relieved from the sudden changes of temperature that have been thecause of the trouble. Also, as will be evident, I thus convert the watercirculating element into an in the varying contraction and expansionin-- duced by the intermittent entrance of the feed water; andfurthermore has stay-bolted sides which, being exposed to equaltemperatures 7 within the firebox, are not injured by temperaturevariations which would disrupt the sheets and stay-bolts composing themain water legs of the boiler.

Further, my invention has to do w1th the operative connection of theessentialv parts, to the water circulating elements, all-1n simple andeconomical form; and preferably, without mechanical dependence upon, orattachment to, the fire sheets of the firebox, to the end that. thelatter and the boiler shell shall not be required to sustain added orunusual stress and strains.

Other important objects and purposes of my invention will appearhereinafter, together with the detailed description of the manner inwhich they are attained.

Since putting my completed inyention into practical and successful usein this country I have learned of the existence of earlier proposedlocomotive boiler designs involving crudely constructed water elementsthat for a brief time might cause a' limited circulation of water fromthe forward part otthe boiler, through the firebox and thence into thespace above the crown sheet; but exh biting no knowledge of the mattersherein discussed, and which have been found to be wholly unworkable; andfor practical purposes, they have been, and still may be, treated asnon-existent.

My invention will be more readily understood on reference to thedrawings that form part of this specification, and in which Fig. 1 is alongitudinal vertical section of a locomotive boiler embodying myinvention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the lower part of the boiler.

Fig. 3 is an enlargement (on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4) of the throat orfront Water leg of the boiler, showing the preferred telescopicconnection between the intake end of the water circulating element andthe intake channel or duct in the bottom of the boiler.

Fig. 4 is a vertical elevation, showing the channel head through anopening in the flue sheet as though the element and diaphragmatic flangewere removed.

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are vertical cross sections of rear ends or fireboxportions of three typical designs, known respectively as narrow, mediumwidth and wide fireboxes, and containing respectively, one, two andthree of said Nicholson thermic siphons.

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section on the line 88 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 9 is a vertical section on the line 9 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 10 is-a vertical section on the line 10 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 11 is a vertical longitudinal section of a locomotive boilercontaining a firebox of the combustion chamber type and constructed inaccordance with my invention.

Fig. 12 is a vertical section, mainly on the line 12 of Fig. 11, butwith parts broken away on the line l2 of Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is another view of the combustion chamber firebox and boiler,showing my invention in modified form.

Fig. 14 is a like view, but illustrating an extension of the intakechannel.

Fig. 15 is an enlarged cross section of the intake portion of Fig. 13,modified in respect to the head or throat portion of the intake channel.

Fig. 16 is a cross section partly on the line 1616 of Fig. 13 and partlyon the line 16 of Fig. 13.

Fig. 17 is a similar section, but looking rearward, from the line 17-17of Fig. 14.

Fig. 18 illustrates a modified intake head or throat portion whichpermits the washing of the mud ring of the firebox from side to side;

. and

Fig. 19 is a sectional detail showing a portion of my novel constructionas it appears in a boiler which has the bottom of its barrel and its mudring more nearly in a single horizontal plane, so that the head ortelescopng end of the intake channel need not be so immediately a partor division of the throat or front water leg of the boiler.

A locomotive boiler is constructed entirely of metal and is of thehorizontal type. Thus each boiler herein depicted comprises a longcylindrical barrel or body portion, 1; a front-end or smoke box, 2, withstack, 3; a rear-end or firebox portion, l; and, a large number of firefiues 5. The sheet, (5, which separates the barrel 1 from the smoke box2, 1s called the front flue sheet. The rear-end of the boiler is asubstantially rectangular extenslon of the body thereof and 'containsthe internal firebox. Usually it is bottomed bye so-called mud ring 7which aids in defining the water legs of the boiler, to wit, the rearleg 8, the side legs 9, 9, and the front leg or throat 10. The sheetscomprising the internal firebox are the back sheet 11. the side sheets12, 12, the crown sheet 13 and the rear flue sheet 14. According totype, the flue sheet may be as in Fig. l, with a throat portion 15, thatis a downward extension of the flue sheet 14; or as in Figs. 11, 13 and14: the rear flue sheet may be set forward from the firebox properthrough the interposition of a combustion barrel 16, while the throatportion 1.5 remains at the mud ring. The ou er sheets of the rear-endare parts of the boiler shell. As is made necessary by the pressure inthe boiler, the fire sheets 11, 12, 13 and 15 are joined to respectivelyopposed portions of the boiler shell by a large number of spaced staybolts. These clearly appear in the several sectional views, with theexception of Figs. 13 and 14 where only those immediately associatedwith theintake channel of this invention are shown. The grate thatusually forms the bottom of the firebox is not shown.

Each firebox herein shown contains one or more Nicholson thermicsiphons, marked S, each of which constitutes a water steaming andcirculating element. Each has an intake neck, S, which opens through thethroat sheet 15, and in each case the portion of the throat sheetimmediately surrounding the neck comprises an expansion and contractiondiaphragm. As shown the siphons are of substantially inverted-triangularform, and

at the top communicate with the boiler space through extensive slot-likeopenings S" in the crown sheet 13 of the firebox. Vhen in action, with ahot fire in the firebox, these siphons pump large volumes of water fromthe lower part of the boiler, convert much of it into steam, and deliverthe steam and remaining water into the top of the boiler. Ordinary archtubes, not shown, act similarly; and in this case the thermic siphonsare representative of all types of water circulating devices which takewater from the throat portion of the boiler and, except as supplementedherein, tendto set up detrimental currents in the other water spaces, asbefore elucidated.

The feed water enters the boiler through the so-called boiler-checkvalve 17, usually arranged either at the top of the boiler as shown inFig. 1 or orrthe side, as in Figs. 11, 13 and 14. The steam leaves theboiler from the dome 18, passing out through a dry-pipe, not shown, atthe opening 19 in the front flue sheet.

The parts by which the objects of my in vention are accomplished arearranged in the bottom of the body of the boiler and preferably comprisea separate intake channel. C, for each boiler circulating element S. Thechannel preferably comprises an inverted trough 20, made of'thin sheetmetal (obviously it is not subjected to destructive pressure), and whichtrough rests upon the bottom of the boiler shell. This channel is openat its forward end 21. and leads backward to the throat sheet 15,terminating in an intake head 22*. The latter presents an opening 23,which is in registry'with the open end of the intake neck of thecirculating element S. The trough may be either strapped or spot-weldedin place. Preferably, the parts 20 and 22 are I joined by welding themon the mitre line 20.

The cross-sectional area of the intake trough or channel 20 exceeds thatof the inconnection therewith. Also, as shown in Fig. 3 the nozzle 22 1sa little smaller, a-

minute crack remaining between it and the in-' ner wall of the intakeneck S. In other words the telescopic connection is a leaky one, thepurpose being to permit a constant slight inrush of water at this pointdirectly from the throat of the boiler whereby the rusting together ofthe metal parts is prevented; also to prevent the accumulationof scalebetween them.

The intake head is of troughlike shape in horizontal cross section, seeFigs. 2, 4 and 8, and its edges are fastened to the boiler shell. Itmakes a convenient mitre oint connection a 20 with the trou h-like art20, but its curved exterior is more especially for the purpose ofkeeping the end surface 22" of the head separated as widely as possiblefrom the adjacent throat sheet 15. In this way I avoid places for thecollection of mud and scale, which might result in the cracking andburning of the throat sheet and interfere with the action of itscorrugated or diaphragmatic portion 15'.

The intake head has a closed bottom 22 with the result that except forslight leaks between its edges and the boiler plates the intake channelis limited to communication, at its forward end, with the body of theboiler and to communication with the water circulating element, at itsrear end.

One advantage of the described construction is that it does notinterfere with the presence and use of a washout opening and plug 24 inthe outside throat sheet of the boiler shell. lVhen the plug is removedboth the interior of the intake head and the interior of the watercirculating element become accessible for purposes ofinspection andwashing.

As to the remainder of the circulating element, itwill be noted thatwashout plugs are provided in the back head of the shell and also in thetop wrapper sheet, directly above the open top of the element S.

One or more washout plugs 25 may be arranged in the bottom of theboiler, either within. or in line with the intake channel C tofacilitate the washing thereof.

It will be evident that by the means described I effectively divide thethroat 10 of the boiler. in separate portions, leaving large undisturbedpassages into the side legs of the firebox, and prevent the suction ofthe water circulating elements from setting up any contrary movement ofwater currents from the side water legs and into thewater circulatingelements. The movement of water through the leaky connections hereindescribed does not materially afifect the division and movement of thegreater body of water through the boiler throat and into the side legs.

The strong movement of water rearwardly along the bottom of the boilerbarrel from a point near the front flue sheet, results in a fulllongitudinal circulation of the water, the ourrents conformingsubstantially to those indicated by the many arrows in Fig. 1. Theeffect is to increase the efficiency of the boiler and lessen the costof maintenance.

The feed water which enters through the boiler-checks or valves 17 byreason of its low temperature and greater density, sinks tothe bottom ofthe boiler and accepts the path of movement ofi'ered by the intakechannel or channels O, through which water is moving at high velocity.Thus all or the greater part of the feed water is diverted fromthe fluesheet, 14-45, and is conducted to the element or elements S, wherein itstemperature is quickly raised.

One advantage of the specially designed intake heads herein shown isthat they do not reach down as far as the mud-ring of the firebox and,therefore, do not interfere with the washing-across of the mud-ring attimes when the boiler is cleaned.

A further advantage of the described intake channel construction is thatit is not costly; and further, it does not interfere with, nor makedifiicult the installation of the flues, or the stay-bolts15, whichimmediately surround the intake of the water circulatin element.Whenever necessary the stayolts may be passed directly through parts ofthe intake channel and head, as indicated in Figs. 3, 4, 11 and 12.

In the case of a boiler equipped with Nicholson siphons, these head andchannel troughs are of special convenience because they are extremelyeasy to install while the siphon diaphragm hole is open in the throatsheet, and before the siphon and diaphragm are welded in place.

The objects of my invention may be accomplished in ways other than thosenext above detailed; for examples of which, attention is directed toFigs. 13 to 19.

In Figs. 13 to 18 I have illustrated a common intake head for two ormore water circulating elements. This intake head is formed bypartitions 22 that divide the throat 10 into separate compartments, de-

fining a middle space in communication with the intakes of the severalsiphons S. The partitions 22 have extensions 20 at the top that passforward beneath a combustion barrel of the firebox, being arrangedbetween the rows of stay-bolts 26 belonging thereto. These parts 20 mayterminate at the forward end of the combustion barrel, as shown in F 1g.13, but preferably are extended, as

through the medium of the inverted troughbe noticed that the parts areattached to the boiler shell, and that there is no mechanical connectionwith the fire sheets of the firebox; hence they are not affected by, anddo not limit the expansion and contraction thereof.

Usually the partitions 22 extend down to the mud-ring, as shown in Figs.16 and 17, and additional washout plugs 27 are provided to insure thethorough cleaning of the intake head. The plugs 28, shown in Figs. 16,17 and 18, close the ordinarily positioned mud-ring washout holes. If itis desired the use of the extra plugs 27 may be avoided by leavingspaces 29 beneath the partitions 22, as shown in Fig. 18, or byproviding the head with a floor 22, as shown in Fig. 15. However, ifthat floor is much lower than the bottom of the intake neck S it will befound expedient to use an additional washout plug 30 therein.

As illustrated in Fig. 19 there are some boilers having barrels of greatdiameter and which so limit the depth of throat that to preservesufficient firing clearance beneath the water circulating elements, theelements are made to enter the throat sheet substantially on a levelwith the bottom of the water barrel. In such cases, as shown, thedepending portion of the intake head need be preserved only wherenecessary to admit the washout plug 31; and the intake channel 32becomes virtually a straight duct leading from the front of the boilerto the water circulating element. As before, it is desirable to maintaina telescopic joint 33 at this point.

Various modifications of my invention will readily suggest themselves toone skilled in the art, and I do not limit my claims to the specificstructures herein shown and described.

In certain of the claims the phrase said conduit extending forward andhaving an intake from the barrel of the boiler substantiall removed fromthe throat of the firebox is used. This phrase is intended to imply thatthe intake of the conduit is sufficiently removed from the throat of thefirebox so that it will not receive the water from the throat oradjacent water legs of the firebox, but on the other hand will receivethe relativel cooler water which is found forwardly 0 that point, with aresulting increase in efliciency of the parts.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. The herein described locomotive boiler having afire box formed with side water legs and a throat, a water-steaming andcirculat ing element arranged in the fire-box and having an inlet endconnected to the throat, in combination with parts that divide ap rtionof the fire-box throat from those portions of the throat through whichthe side water legs communicate with the body of the boiler, said partsbeing spaced from but in communication with the inlet end of said watersteaming and circulating element.

2. The herein described locomotive boiler having a fire box formed withside water legs and a throat, a water-steaming and circulating elementarranged in the fire-box and having an inlet end connected to the throatin combination with parts that divide a portion of the fire-box throatfrom those portions of the throat through which the side water legscommunicate with the body of the boiler, said parts being spaced frombut in communication with the inlet end of said water steame ing andcirculating element, and another part positioned in the body of theboiler and formed to direct water from the forward portion thereof intothe said parts that divide the throat and communicate with the watersteaming and circulating element.

3. The herein described locomotive boiler having a fire box formed withside water legs and a throat, a plurality of water-steaming andcirculating elements arranged in'the firebox and having inlet endsconnected with the throat, in combination with a plurality of intakemembers located in the throat and in communication with the inlet endsof respective water steaming and circulating elements but spacedtherefrom, and intake channels positioned in the body of the boiler,communicating with said intake members and formed to direct water fromthe forward partof the boiler to respective members.

4. The herein described locomotive boiler having a fire box formed withside water legs and a throat, a water-steaming and circulating elementpositioned in the fire-box and having its intake connected to thethroat, in

' having combination with an intake head arranged in the throat, andtelescopically aligned with but spaced from the intake of the water'-steaming and circulating element, and an intake duct positioned in thebody of the boiler for directing water into said intake head.

5. The herein described locomotive boiler having a firebox formed withside water legs and a throat, a water-steaming and circulating elementpositioned in the fire-box and having its intake adjacent the throat incombination with an intake channel positioned entirely within the boileropen at one end into the boiler space forward of said throat and havingits other end telescopically aligned with but spaced from the intake ofsaid water steaming and circulating element. 6. The herein describedlocomotive boiler having a. fire-box formed with side water legs a and athroat, a water-steaming and circulating element positioned in thefire-box and its intake connected with the throat, in combination withwashout means, and an element supply intake head arranged in the throatoperatively connected to the boiler space forward of the throat andcommunicating with but spaced from the-intake of the water-steaming andcirculating element and rising above said washout means.

7 The herein described locomotive boiler having a fire box formedwithside water legs and a throat, a water-steaming and circula-ting elementarranged in the fire-box and having its intake connected with thethroat, an intake head arranged in the throat and loosely connected withthe intake of said water-steaming and circulating element, and an intakechannel in the body of the boiler and communicating with said head.

8. lhe herein described locomotive boiler having a fire-box formed withside water legs and a throat, a water-steaming and circulating elementarranged in the fire-box and having its intake connected adjacent thethroat in combination with parts that divide that portion of thefire-box to which the intake of the water-steaming and circulatingelementis connected from those portions through which the side waterlegs communicate with the body of the boiler, said parts being spacedfrom but in communication with the inlet of said water steaming andcirculating elements.

9. The locomotive boiler. and contained firebox, in combination with awater-steaming and circulating wall in said firebox and having an intakewhich opens into the throat of the boiler through the throat sheet ofthe firebox, an intake head secured in the boiler throat and looselyconnected with the intake of said element, and an intake channel in theboiler body and leading to said head.

10. A locomotive boiler and contained firebox having a throat sheet, incombination with a water circulating element in said box and connectedto the throat sheet, an intake head in the throat of the boiler and incomfirebox, the firebox having a throat, embodying therein a relativelyflat hollow water circulating and steaming element positioned in a planeother than horizontal and composed of spaced plates stay-boltedtogether, said element having an upper portion and a lower portion, thelower portion being closed and the upper portion having an elongatedopening longitudinally of the firebox and being connected to one of thefiresheets of the firebox to thereby communicate with the adjacent waterspace, a conduit of relatively restricted cross sectional areacommunicating directly wlth the lower part of said water circulating andsteaming element, said conduit extending forward and having an intakefrom the barrel of the boiler substantially removed forwardly from thefirebox tube sheet.

12. A locomotive boiler and its contained firebox, the firebox having athroat, embodying therein a relatively flat hollow water circulating andsteaming element positioned in a plane other than horizontal andcomposed of spaced plates stay-bolted together, said element having anupper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion being closed andthe upper portion having an elongated opening longitudinally of thefirebox and being connected to one of the firesheets of the firebox tothereby communicate with the adjacent water space, a conduit ofrelatively restricted cross sectional area communicating directly withthe lower part of said water circulating and steaming element, saidconduit extending forward and having an intake from the barrel of theboiler substantially removed forwardly from the firebox tube sheet, thelowermost part of the water circulating and steaming element being belowthe conduit inlet from the barrel of the boiler, and a washout plugpositioned in said lower plane for flushing the said bottom portion ofthe water circulating and steaming element.

13. A locomotive boiler and its contained firebox, the firebox having athroat, embodying therein a relatively flat hollow water circulating andsteaming element positioned in a plane other than horizontal andcomposed of spaced plates stay-bolted together, said element having anupper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion bein closed by anenlarged bulging portion and t e upper portion having an elongatedopening longitudi' nally of the firebox and being connected to one ofthe firesheets of the firebox to thereby communicate with the adjacentwater space, a conduit of relatively restricted cross sectional areacommunicating directly with the enlarged bulging lower part of saidwater circulating and steaming element, said conduit extending forwardand having an intake from the barrel of the boiler substantially removedforwardly from the firebox tube sheet.

14. A locomotive boiler and its contained firebox, the firebox having athroat, embodying therein a relatively flat hollow water circulating andsteaming element positioned in a plane other than horizontal andcomposed of spaced plates staybolted together, said element having anupper portion and a-lower portion, the lower portion being closed andthe upper portion having an elongated opening longitudinally of thefirebox and being connected to one of the firesheets of the firebox totherebv communicate with the adjacent water snace, an end of the lowerpart of the water circulating and steaming element having a flange, aconduit of relatively restricted cross sectional area communicatingdirectly with the lower part of said water circulating and steamingelement and being operatively fitted adjacent said flange, said conduitextending forward and having an intake from the barrel of the boilersubstantially removed forwardly from the firebox tube sheet.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature at YVashington, D. C.,March 22nd, 1920.

CHARLES GILBERT HAWLEY.

